Lecture 2

Question 1

origins of a field of study

Answer 1

1.Neurophysiology
-neural processes involved in movement
2. Psychology
-branch of this discipline concerned with high level skill
Pre 1970
-these two branches functioned separately
-in 1970, began to come together into one academic discipline

Question 2

Sherrington

Answer 2

1. Sherrington (19th century)
   - classified major responses to stimuli presented to the extremities (fundamental reflexes)
   - credited with the creation of several concepts of motor control (reciprocal innervation)
   - credited with the term “final common path” (the final set of commands delivered to muscles)
   - early research of the perception of movement (coined the now common term: proprioception)

Question 3

Bernstein

Answer 3

2. Bernstein (1920-30s)
   - Russia- published work in obscurity
   - movement is goal directed and active
   - in 1967 works were translated in North America- wider audience
   - known for the “degrees of freedom” problem: that our motor system has many independent paths and parts, they are done unconsciously ex) scissors have 1 degree of freedom, move in 1 way

Question 4

Esther Thelen

Answer 4

3. Esther Thelen
   - reflexes emerged and remerged at various points during development
   - proposed that reflexes are the results of a complex interaction between the sensory motor systems and the environment
   - recognized that cognition as part of a complex system of interactions
   - relates to Kelso’s (1995) dynamical systems theory (coordination of movement)
   - thought more broadly about the development of motor skills and incorporated perception-action work into her perspective

Question 5

Paul Fitts

Answer 5

4. Paul Fitt’s
   - posited one of the better-known laws in ML&C research- Fitts Law (1954)
   - speed-accuracy trade off
   - demonstrated in a tapping task
   - has been applied to different aspects of equipment design
   - research in the spatial capability of work-space displays and controls used has influenced the field of ergonomics

Question 6

Bernstein’s degrees of freedom

Answer 6

1. Early leaners- focus on essential body parts for a given movement ex) kicking a ball (standing still and just kick)
2. Skilled learners- learn to exploit degrees of freedom ex) throwing a baseball (follow through, weight transfer, max force production)

Question 7

3 stages of learning

Answer 7

1. early/cognitive phase
2. intermediate/associative phase
3. autonomous phase

Question 8

stages of learning: how it works

Answer 8

• sequences of motor movement have a restricted course: initial pattern (blue print) is required
• to complete a motor task effectively: degrees of freedom= early (limit) & differentiation (maximize)
• practice =automaticity: initial patterns become “fixed”: integrated into related movements

Question 9

early/cognitive phase

Answer 9

1. early/cognitive phase:
   - must attend to cues, events, and responses while learning
   - kinesthetic cues, visual cues, rhythmic cues
   - instructions and demonstration matter

Question 10

intermediate/associative phase

Answer 10

2. Intermediate/associate phase:
   - this phase lasts for varying durations of time
   - dependant on complexity of skill & number of patterns incorporated
   - efficiency is the goal

Question 11

autonomous phase

Answer 11

3. Autonomous phase:
   - Patterns of movement are more automatic
   - performance is maintained despite interference/distraction of other skills
   - in this phase of leaning: too much verbal cuing can cause distraction= decreased performance BUT learning can still occur